Vehicle-wheel.



B. S. BOTTOMLY.

VEHICLE WHEEL. APPLICATION FILED 11123.27, 1911.

1,006,055, Patented Oct; 17,1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

E. S. BOTTOMLY.

VEHICLE WHEEL. APPLICATION FILED APR. 27, 1911.

COLUMBIA PLANO GRAPH co., WASHINGTON, D. c.

sraar or ICE.

EDWARD S. BOTTOMLY, OF MARTINS-IBURG, WEST VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR TO THEWALK AUTO TIRE COMPANY, OF IVIARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA, A CORPORATIONOF DELAWARE.

VEHICLE-WHEEL.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD S. BOTTOMLY, of Martinsburg, in the county ofBerkeley and State of NVest Virginia, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Vehicle-VVheels; and I hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of thisspecification.

This invention is an improvement in spring wheels especially designedfor use on automobiles and to do away with the need for pneumatic andcushion-tires now commonly employed. Its object is to provide a wheelwhich will have all the desirable resilient properties of apneumatic-tired wheel,-as regards capability of absorbing shock and jarsincident to the passage of the vehicle over roads and rough places, andwill excel pneumatic and cushion tired wheels in points of durability,cost of main- .tenance, and general efliciency.

The invention in particular is an improvement upon the wheel shown inthe patent to G. W. Walk No.'8l8,142, dated March 26, 1907 and hasparticular reference to the novel construction of,--and means forattaching,the cushioning springs between the rim of the spoked wheel andthe felly, or outer floating rim, of such wheel.

I will describe the invention with reference to the accompanyingdrawings which illustrate a wheel of the general type shown in said alkpatent, containing the novel features embodying my invention.

In said drawingsFigure 1 is a side elevation of a vehicle wheel, partsof one of the annular side-plates of such wheel being broken away toshow the arrangement of the cushioning springs. Fig. 2 is an enlargeddetail sectional view of such wheel. Fig. 3 is a section on line 83,Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a section on line 4:4, Fi 2. Fig. 5 is a section online 55, Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a detail end View of one of the springs.

The wheel center may be of any suitable construction; as shown it has ahuh 1 connected by spokes 1 to the rim 2, which may be of wood encircledby a band 2", preferably of steel. Surrounding the wheel concentric withthe rim band 2 but spaced therefrom is the felly portion of the wheel,comprising an annular channeled iron plate 3 Specification of LettersPatent.

Application filed April 27, 1911.

Patented Oct. 1'7, 1911. Serial No. 623,746.

which is of larger internal diameter than the external diameter of therim 2. Between the rim 2 and felly 8 are inserted radially disposedhelical springs l arran ed in pairs. As shown each spring 4 is preerably made of rod metal coiled into spiral form and having itsoutermost end coil contracted and flattened as shown at P, so that theouter end of such spring 4 can be confined to the felly 3 by means of abolt 5, preferably having its shank inserted through the opening in thecontracted coil 4 of the spring 4 and tapped into a threaded hole in thefelly 8.

The inner end, or bottom, of each spring 4, is provided with atangentially extending portion 48 which is preferably curved asindicated in Figs. 1 and 2, so as to fit neatly upon the outer surfaceof the rim-plate 2 and the extremity of this extension 4- is upturnedforming a lug The two springs 4: in each pair are arranged with theirextensions 4" lying parallel and extending from one spring to the other,so that the end of the extension l of one spring forms a support for oneside of the lower or inner coil of the related spring in the pair, andthe lug 4 on said extension helps to retain the bottom coil of therelated spring in position. The parallel extensions 4: of the springs ineach pair lie parallel upon the periphery of the rim and are preferablysecured to the rim plate 2 by means of interposed clampplates 6, eacharranged transversely of the rim-plate and overlying the parallelextensions 4t of the adjacent related, springs in each pair. Saidclamp-plates 6 are preferably grooved on their under sides as indicatedat 6 to engage the members 4 of the springs and hold them parallel andin exact position. Each clamp-plate 6 is rigidly secured to the rim bysuitable fastenings; preferably by means of a bolt 6 passed through acentral opening in the clampplate and having its threaded shank tappedinto a threaded hole in the rim-plate 2 as shown. The clamp-plates 6 arepreferably of such width that they will keep the lowermost coils of theadjacent springs 4 in each pair properly spaced apart; therefore, thesesprings cannot move toward each other, and they cannotmove apart becausethe lugs 4 on the ends of the extensions 4 of such springs prevent thesprings separating or moving apart circumterentially ot the rim ortelly.

Each spring in each pair is securely tas tened at its outer end to thetelly 3, by bolt 5 and its inner end is secured to the rim by the clamp6. Vhile I at present prefer to use tap bolts 5 and 6 to secure thesprings 4 to the telly and rim as described, the invention is notrestricted to these particular devices tor fastening the springs to thetelly and rim. It the springs are secured to the telly by tap bolts asshown, I preferably employ spring locking washers 5 under the heads ofthe bolts, as indicated in the drawings, in order to prevent the boltsloosening by reason of jar. Similar locking washers 6 may be placedunder the heads of the bolts 6".

It will be seen by reference to Fig. 3 that each spring has a solid fiatbearing at its outer end against the inner side of the telly 3 and eachspring has a long bearing at its inner side or bottom against the rim bymeans of its extension 4*; and it also has a further bearing upon therim by resting upon the extension 4 of the related spring. This mannerof attaching the springs overcomes the tendency of the springs to tiltlaterally when compressed, and the springs in each pair are retained intrue radial position in the wheel.

The springs 4t constructed and connected to the rim and telly asdescribed, are double acting: that is, they support and hold the wheelcenter in the telly both by compression and extension. The springs 4 aremade ot a predetermined normal length, and resist either compression orextension; therefore, any weight upon the axle ot the wheel istransmitted to the telly by compression of the lower springs andextension ot the upper springs; and while the greatest load is borne bythe springs in vertical alinement with the axle, practically everyspring in the wheel comes into play, either by extension or com pressionor by lateral flexion, and assists in carrying the load and in resistingany tend ency ot weight upon the axle, or shock or blow upon the telly,to displace the wheel center eccentrically to the telly, or vice versa.

The springs a are preferably inclosed between annular side-plates 7.Such plates are not essential, but they give the wheel a neaterappearance, and exclude dirt and mud from the springs. As shown theseannular side-plates may be connected to the telly by means of bolts 7transfixing the annular plates 7 on opposite sides ot the telly and rim.Said bolts are passed through U- shaped bracket-irons 3 bolted orriveted to the inner side of the telly 3, see Fig. 3. These brackets 3are preferably made long enough to serve as spacers to hold thesideplates the desired distance apart, yet allow them to be boltedrigidly to the brackets. It desired spacing bolts 7 may be interposedbetween the side-plates 7 at points intermediate 'the brackets 3 andsecured by nuts on the outer ends of the bolts as indicated in Fig. 1.Thus, the annular plates are rigidly attached to the telly and have aclose sliding contact with the sides ot the wheel rim but do notintertere with the eccentric displacement or movement of the wheelcenter relative to the telly, or vice versa.

The telly may, it desired, be provided with a tire of any suitable kind,preferably I use a solid rubber tire 3 to reduce noise and lessen thejars, although such a tire is not an essential part of the wheel. A band3 of asbestos or other suitable non-heat conduct ing material may beplaced between the rubber tire 3 and the telly 3, to prevent injury tothe rubber tire by triction or direct contact with the metal of thetelly.

What I claim is:

1. In a wheel, the combination ot a wheel center having a rim, a telly0t larger internal diameter than the external diameter of the rim, andpairs of spiral springs interposed between the telly and the rim, eachspring having a contracted outer end and a projection on its lower endextending toward and under the adjacent spring in the pair, and providedwith a lug on its extremity to assist in positioning such spring; with aclamp plate interposed between the springs in each pair and engaging theextensions of both springs, a bolt for securing said clamp plate rigidlyto the rim, and bolts passed axially through the outer coil 0t eachspiral spring and securing the same to the telly.

2. A wheel comprising a wheel center and rim, a telly, a series of pairsof springs interposed between the rim and telly, each spring in eachpair having an extension at bottom extending to and under the adjacentspring in the pair and adapted to support one side 0t such spring andprevent tilting thereot, means tor attaching the outer end 0t eachspring to the telly, and means tor securing the extensions ot bothsprings to the rim.

3. In combination, a wheel center and rim, a telly, a series of pairs ofhelical springs interposed between the rim and telly, each spring ineach pair having an extension at bottom extending to and under theadjacent spring in the pair and supporting one side of such spring,means tor attaching the outer end of each spring to the telly, a clampplate interposed between the springs in each pair and engaging theextensions of both springs,

and means for securing the clamp plates to the rim.

4. A wheel comprising a wheel center having a rim, a telly of largerdiameter than the rim, a series 0t helical springsinterposed between therim and telly and arranged in pairs, each spring having a contractedouter end for engagement of a bolt, and an extension on its lower endextending to and under the adjacent spring and having a lug on itsextremity engaging such spring and assisting in retaining such spring inposition, a bolt securing each spring to the felly, and means interposedbetween the springs and engaging the extensions of both springs in apair to fasten such springs to the rim.

5. In a wheel, the combination of a wheel center having a rim, a fellyof larger diameter than the rim, a series of radially disposed helicalsprings interposed between the rim and felly and arranged in pairs, eachspring having a contracted outer end, and an extension on its lower endextending to and under the adjacent spring to prevent tilting thereof,and having a lug on its extreinity assisting in retaining such relatedspring in position, a bolt engaging the contracted outer end of eachspring and securing it to the felly, and a clamp plate interposedbetween and separating the springs and engaging the extensions of bothsprings to hold the springs in position.

6. A wheel comprising a wheel center having a rim, a felly of largerinternal diameter than the external diameter of the rim, and series ofpairs of radially disposed helical springs interposed between the tellyand the rim, each spring in each pair having a contracted coil on itsouter end and a projection on its lower end extending toward and underthe adjacent spring in the pair, a clamp plate interposed between thesprings in each pair and engaging the extensions of both springs, a boltfor securing said clamp plate rigidly to the rim, and a bolt passedaxially through the outer coil of each spiral spring and securing thesame to the felly.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I aflix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD S. BOTTOMLY.

Witnesses:

FRANK J. TRAMMELL, HAMMOND HUNTER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G."

